Story
by mercurymoon7490195
Summary: A familiar-sounding bedtime story. Thief, AU


_"__Tell__ me __a__ story ,__Daddy? __A__ new __one,__ not __the __ones__ you __always __tell.__"_

A new story? You sure you don't want me to tell you Rapunzel again?

_"__Pretty__ Please?__"_

Alright…well, there is one I know….It starts many years ago, and involves a young boy. His family lived in a large underground chamber that had once been built to honor a king…a pharaoh of ancient Egypt. You know where Aunt Ishizu and Uncle Odion live? That's Egypt. And this boy lived there with his brother and sister and his father, who had forbidden the boy from ever leaving his home, to keep him safe and sound. They had everything they could ever want in their home, even servants to bring them food and drink from the outside world. The little boy had toys to play with, and books to read, and he thought that he was happy. And for a while, he was. But the boy knew from his books that there was more outside his home; a whole world outside his door, just waiting to be explored. Every night, he would wish upon the only star he could see, through the tiny hole in the ceiling, to be able to go outside one day.

_"__This__ sounds __like__ Rapunzel, __only __with __a__ boy.__"_

Hush, you. You wanted a new story, I'm telling you a new story. If you don't want to listen, then you can just go to sleep.

_"__Nooo,__ keep__ going!__"_

Alright, but no more interruptions, alright? Let's see…So finally, he had had enough of just wishing and hoping for that some day would come, and he decided to ask his father if he could go outside, just for a little while. But his father grew angry that I—the little boy would even think of such a thing, and tried to make it so that he would never try to leave his home again.

_"__What__ did __he__ do?__" _

What—he—he tried to hurt the little boy, to make him sorry for what he wanted. It's…it's something you'll never have to worry about, darling.

_"__Promise?__" _

Of course I promise. I would never…_ever_…do anything to hurt you, you know, that…right?"

_ "__Uh-huh__…__..Daddy__…__.If__ this __story __makes __you __sad, __you __can __tell __me__ another __one __instead__…"_

No…it's…it's okay. This story has a happy ending, don't you worry…Now where was I…Oh yes. The—the little boy was hurt, but he still wanted to go to the outside world, more than anything. And though his father had trapped him in his room, he still wished on the star that he knew was twinkling above him that he would some day escape. That someday the gods would grant his wish…and one day, years later, they did.

On a day when his father was away, a thief broke into the boy's home, wanting to steal some of the treasure his family was in charge of guarding…specifically a necklace and a knife that belonged to a set that the thief had owned. In fact, he wore one of the items around his neck—a ring of sorts.

_"__Like__ the __one __Papa __has __in __his __study?__ In __the __glass __case?__"_

How do you know about that—

_"__He__ showed __it__ to__ me __and __told __me__ I__ should __never, __ever,__ ever__ touch __it.__"_

It—it's kind of like that one, yeah. The thief had expected to find the chamber empty, but instead found the boy, who had now grown into a young man. At first they fought, with words and with swords, until they were both worn out. Then the young man realized that the thief could help him to escape.

He offered to trade the necklace and the knife for his freedom, and for the freedom of his brother and sister. Together, they quickly gathered up what little they could carry and tried to make a run for it, but when they reached the stairs, there stood their father, gazing down at them!

_"__What__ did__ they __do?__"_

What did they do? Well, the boy ran to stand in front of the rest of his family and the helpful thief. He told the old man that they were leaving, that imprisoning him underground wouldn't keep him safe. But his father grew angry, and tried to hurt the boy again, yelling how he would hurt his brother and sister and the thief for trying to help him escape. But as he did so, he tripped, tumbling all the way down the stairs, and the boy knew his chance had come. Sadly, he apologized to his father and ran, followed by the thief and his brother and sister. Out they went into the sunlight. The boy handed over the necklace and the knife, and the thief set off on his merry way. But before he could get very far, the boy ran after him, asking if they could stay together and travel the world together.

_"__What__ did __the __thief __say?__"_

_…__._He said yes. And so they did.

_ "__The__ end?__"_

The end. And now it is time for you to go to sleep, little one.

_The__ little __girl __pouted __for __a__ moment __but __settled __in,__ clutching __a__ kuriboh __plushie __tightly __to __her __chest.__ "__It __still __sounded __kinda __like __Rapunzel.__"_

_"__Well,__ sometimes __stories __sound__ similar __to __others__…__now__ close __your __eyes__…"_

_"__Alright__…__Good__night, __Daddy.__"_

_Marik__ smiled, __tucking __her __in__ and__ smoothing __back __her __hair.__ "__Good __night__ sweetie. __Sleep __tight, __alright?__" _

_She__ nodded,__ yawning .__Her __eyelids __were __beginning__ to __droop __when __her __gaze __fixed__ on__ the __door,__ a__ tired__ smile__ spreading __across __her __face.__ "__G__'__night __Papa,__" __she __whispered__ before __dozing __off._

_Bakura __smiled __and __nodded, __leaning__ against __the __door__ frame.__ "__Good __night__…" _

_Marik __crossed __to __the__ door __and __wrapped __an__ arm__ around __his__ waist.__ "__How __long __were __you __listening?__"_

_Bakura__ shrugged.__"__You__'__re __feeding __her __a__ load__ of __bullshit, __you __know __that,__ right?__" __he __muttered._

_Marik __only __smiled, __gazing __at__ the __tiny__ figure, __barely__ visible __under __her __blanket.__ They __had__ adopted__ her __only __a__ few __months __ago,__ and__ she __already __felt __like__ theirs.__ It__ had __taken __years __to __convince __Bakura, __even__ more __to __get __all __the __paper work __done__… __and __for __moments __like __this, __it__ had __been __worth__ it. __He__ leaned __up __and __kissed __him __gently._

_ "__When__ you__'__re __little,__ sometimes __stories__ and__ fairy __tales __are __all __you__ have,__" __he__ said __quietly, __lifting__ a__ hand__ to__ his__ pale__ cheek.__ "__And __I__ don__'__t __want__ her __growing __up __without __that.__"_

_Bakura__ sighed.__ "__Fair__ enough.__"__ He __took __Marik __by __the __hand __and __pulled __him __out __of __the__ spare__ room,__ which__ had __hastily __been__ turned__ into__ a__ room__ for __the __four-, __almost __five-year-__old.__ "__And__ now __that __she__'__s __gone __to __bed,__ we __should __do __the __same__…__sort __of.__" _

_Marik __grinned.__ "__I __think __that__'__s __something __I__ could __get __behind, __as __long__ as __we__'__re __quiet,__" __he __said,__ looking __fondly __at __their __daughter __for __one__ more__ second__ before __shutting __the __door __with __a __soft __click._


End file.
